INDIANAPOLIS – With the preseason ramping up with the calendar shifting to November, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference announced the 2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Wednesday (Oct. 22) afternoon.

The Panthers were picked in a eighth place tie in the poll as voted on by the conference's head coaches, compiling 61 points. 

After winning the regular season title in 2024-25, Findlay was voted as the favorite with eight first place votes. Ashland narrowly edged Thomas More for second place with both teams getting a pair of first place votes. The Saints challenged for the G-MAC crown for the second straight season, falling to Malone. Cedarville was ranked fourth in front of Hillsdale and Kentucky Wesleyan. Walsh was selected in seventh place ahead of Lake Erie and Ohio Dominican, which are tied for the final potential postseason spot. Malone, the 2024-25 tournament champion is tenth with Northwood and Tiffin rounding out 11th and 12th place. 

Ohio Dominican was 10-18 overall last season with a 6-14 record in conference games, improving from the 2023-24 season. 

Head coach Casey Kaufman returns for his third season at the helm. Kaufman returns ten players from a year ago, including the All-Conference member Elijah Hinton. The Panthers will have a lot of upperclassmen to lead the way in Terrance Broughton, Carson Seemann, Brady Moore, Zac Kimball and Hinton. The Panthers brought in three transfers (Caleb Conard, Logan Ryan & Rashid Nikiema) and one freshman (Kenny Scott). 

Ohio Dominican will head west in a few weeks for the season opening GLVC/G-MAC Crossover. The Panthers will play Drury and Southwest Baptist in Elsah, Illinois at Principia College on November 14th and 15th, respectively. Conference play begins on December 4th against Kentucky Wesleyan. 

2025-26 Great Midwest Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll